In the last session of ChinaSource Summer School, we met some of the missionaries who traveled from the West to bring the good news to the people of China. The Chinese people quickly took an active part in spreading the gospel throughout the country and have even begun to go out to other countries. In this installment of our series, we’ll be looking at the many issues facing Chinese believers as they share about Jesus with their fellow citizens as well as the creative ways they have developed to circumvent difficulties. Some of the resources will apply equally to Chinese workers ministering outside of China.
We’ll finish the series with a collection of reading material on how Chinese gospel workers are going out in fulfillment of the great commission. Watch for it soon!
The Unfinished Story of Living Waters
The movement of migrants within China has proved to be a big opportunity for sharing the gospel. In this article from the spring 2022 CSQ, migrant church planter Tim Liang (pseudonym) outlined the history of Living Waters, an indigenous church network, and how it has grown, even under challenging circumstances.
Calling, Vocation, and Spiritual Formation for Chinese Mission
This ResearchShare paper is by Qiao Liang 良巧 (pseudonym), who wrote the paper as part of her doctoral studies and has trained Asian cross-cultural workers since 2006. She looks at the ideas of calling, vocation, and spiritual formation.
China’s Churches Reaching China’s Ethnic Minorities
China is home to a large number of ethnic minorities—over 50 distinct people groups. In this 2019 article from our Chinese Church Voices column, a Han missions worker describes the history of mission work among China’s minority groups as well as contemporary models for this work, their characteristics and methods.
China’s Pentecostal Churches
In this article from the summer 2023 CSQ, Zhang Li, a house church pastor and Bible school professor, discusses ways that Pentecostal churches have adapted their evangelistic methods in the New Era.
Tentmaking and Indigenous Urban Mission in China
A teacher of theology and missions outlines ways that tentmaking—gospel workers and pastors supporting themselves through secular work—can work well for in rural contexts, as evangelistic efforts are planned around the agricultural calendar. The article is from the spring 2004 CSQ, “Cities of China,” which analyzes how China’s city dwellers are using creative approaches to evangelism.
Advance and Retreat
A Han Chinese missionary writes about living among China’s ethnic minorities, the opportunities for evangelism, and the challenges facing workers. After reading this piece, check out the rest of the spring 2018 CSQ, “Contextualization and the Chinese Church,” edited by Brad Vaughn.
Good Neighbor Model of Missions
A Chinese missions mobilizer describes the Wenzhou model of missions and how it’s been adapted to become the Good Neighbor model. It’s the lead article in “Doing Missions with Chinese Characteristics,” the summer 2020 CSQ.
Member Care for Mainland Chinese Missionaries
For the autumn 2022 CSQ, “Member Care for Chinese Missionaries,” editors Ruth C. Chang and Brent Fulton outline the concept of member care in their lead article and how Chinese workers can benefit from culturally-sensitive care, whether they are ministering within China or beyond. Anyone interested in Chinese missions and workers should really look at the rest of the issue.
